Police recruit killer
Navy sailor king-hit a man after booze-fuelled night Police have him lobbying now for early bar closing ‘If bars closed earlier I would never have gone into town’
Victim’s mum: ‘I pray he takes ownership’
Police have recruited a former Navy sailor who killed a stranger with a punch to the head to testify to the dangers of late night bars.
Grenville McFarland, 30, was jailed for the manslaughter of Tarun Asthana, whom he killed with a blow to the head in November 2013.
Police approached McFarland to give evidence to the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority that bars should close earlier to prevent similar tragedies.
He partially blamed Asthana’s death on late night opening hours, and said he had suffered the loss of his naval career, experience financial hardship, ‘‘as well as emotional scarring, guilt, depression and anxiety all as a result of my actions’’.
But Asthana’s mother Yvette said McFarland should take responsibility for his actions rather than blame late night opening hours.
Yvette Asthana said: ‘‘He has to learn to take ownership for his actions. He absolutely should take responsibility for his actions. I pray that he takes ownership.’’
She said she missed her son every day. ‘‘It’s three years since my boy passed. Tarun was very much a gentleman.’’
Tarun’s friend Eddie Lo, who works in the hospitality industry, said closing times were irrelevant in Tarun’s death.
‘‘Maybe he would have been in a different place, and maybe Tarun would be alive (but) it’s not about the opening hours, it’s about New Zealand’s drinking culture,’’ he said.
‘‘My professional opinion is very simple. You can’t blame alcohol. You blame the choices you make.’’
Lo said he lived with regret about the night, wishing he hadn’t bid his friend goodnight prior to the the assault.
‘‘To this day I still think that maybe I could have done something to save him. I’ve never seen death like that before – seen someone so lifeless.
‘‘I’ve tried to be as mature as I can but I can never forgive someone who did what he did.’’
Friend Tristan Hansen-Beadle agreed, saying McFarland was ‘‘playing the blame game’’.
‘‘He’s punishing an entire industry for his own actions. It comes down to the fact he couldn’t tolerate his alcohol. At the end of the day, he has to live with his actions. Well, we all do.’’
McFarland, then a Navy combat systems specialist, took exception to a comment Asthana made to a woman. Asthana fell backwards and hit his head on the pavement. He was admitted to hospital with critical head injuries, but died two days later.
Both men had been out drinking in the lead up to the fatal encounter outside the Queen St McDonalds in Auckland city at 5am.
McFarland’s submission to the
My professional opinion is very simple. You can’t blame alcohol. You blame the choices you make. Eddie Lo, victim’s friend
Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority comes as police ask Auckland Council to introduce earlier lock-outs and closing times for bars and nightclubs, which currently have to close by 4am.
Under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012, local authorities are allowed to set their own closing times for bars and off-licences.
Police and councils have been waging legal battles up and down the country for earlier closing times. In Hamilton, violence flared again this week when security guards fought pitched battles in the street with drunken patrons who had been kicked out of an inner city bar.